Kent County Divorce Decree
A Kent County divorce decree is filed and stored at the Family Court in Dover, the state capital. The Records Section at 400 Court Street pulls case files by name or case number for the county's 185,000 residents. Dover is the hub for all divorce work in central Delaware, from Harrington north to Smyrna. You can visit the Records Section in person or send a mail request for a certified copy. This page lists hours, fees, forms, and the full steps for a Kent County divorce decree search.
Kent County Overview
Kent County Family Court Records
The Kent County Family Court at 400 Court Street in Dover is the main office for any Kent County divorce decree. The Records Section holds case files from 1976 forward. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except legal holidays. The main line is (302) 672-1000. The Records Section direct line is (302) 672-1045. Certified copies run $4.00 each.
In-person requests are the fastest. Same-day service is the norm when you bring the names, the date of divorce, and a valid photo ID. Mail requests need a notarized signature and payment by check or money order. Processing by mail takes 10 to 15 business days. Send mail requests to Family Court Records Section, 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901.
The image below is the Kent County government page, which links to local offices that may tie into a divorce case.
Visit kentcountyde.gov for Levy Court info, property records, and other local services tied to the county seat of Dover.
| Office | Kent County Family Court - Records Section |
|---|---|
| Address |
400 Court Street Dover, DE 19901 |
| Main Phone | (302) 672-1000 |
| Records Phone | (302) 672-1045 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Certified Copy Fee | $4.00 per copy |
How to Search Kent County Divorce Records
Start with a call to (302) 672-1045. Staff can confirm a file is on hand and quote fees. Come with both names and the rough year. Walk-ins get same-day service most days. For a broader civil check, the Delaware CourtConnect search at courts.delaware.gov/docket covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Courts. Family Court divorce files are not in CourtConnect, but a civil judgment tied to a former spouse might show up there.
To request a Kent County divorce decree copy, bring or send:
- Full names of both parties
- Date of the divorce or the year it was granted
- Case number if known
- Your name, date of birth, and a notarized signature
- Payment of $4.00 per certified copy by check or money order
The Kent County Resource Center at 400 Court Street gives pro se filers form packets, instruction guides, and self-help computer time. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can point you to the right form and say what has to be filed. Form 442 is the Petition for Divorce or Annulment. Form 240 is the Information Sheet. Form 448 is the Answer to Petition. All are on the state court forms page for free download.
Kent County Courthouse and Other Offices
Kent County's main courthouse sits on a 5.3-acre site in Dover, bordered by Federal, Water, and The Green streets. The main entrance is at 414 Federal Street. The Superior Court entrance is at 38 The Green. The site hosts Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Justice of the Peace Court 16, the Register in Chancery, the Prothonotary, the Law Library, and Jury Services. Free parking is at William Penn and Water Street, about two blocks from the main doors.
The Kent County Prothonotary at 38 The Green holds Superior Court records and some Kent County divorce records granted prior to 1976. Phone is (302) 735-1900. Civil case records, felony criminal case records, judgment records, and historical pre-1975 records are on hand. For historical divorce work, the Prothonotary or the Delaware Public Archives is where you start. The Archives is nearby at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd North in Dover. Call (302) 744-5000.
The Archives holds Kent County divorce records that go back to the county's formation in 1683. Staff-made copies are $0.50 per page. A certified copy from the historical set is $10.00. Research room hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Archives is a short walk from the courthouse, which makes it easy to visit both on the same day.
Note: Bring both spouses' names and the rough year of the divorce. Older files need more search time at the Archives counter.
Delaware Law and Kent County Divorce
Delaware Code Title 13 Chapter 15 sets the rules for every Kent County divorce decree. Delaware is a pure no-fault state. Section 1505 names the only ground: that the marriage is irretrievably broken with no reasonable expectation of reconciliation. The break can be shown by voluntary separation of six months, incompatibility, misconduct, or serious mental illness. The full chapter is at delcode.delaware.gov.
Section 1504 sets the residency rule. At least one spouse must have been a Delaware resident for six months before the court rules on the petition. You can file earlier. The court just holds the ruling until the six-month mark. Section 1509 adds an automatic restraining order at filing. Both sides are blocked from hiding or moving assets except for normal bills. Section 1513 shapes property division. Delaware follows equitable distribution, which means the court splits marital property fairly based on factors like length of marriage, age, income, and contributions.
Section 1512 covers alimony. The cap on duration is 50% of the marriage length, though marriages of 20 years or more have no cap. Section 1514 lets a party resume a maiden or former name through the final decree.
Legal Help in Kent County
Free and low-cost legal help is close at hand in Dover. Delaware Volunteer Legal Services at (302) 478-8680 takes family law cases for low-income residents. The Delaware Legal Help Link is a state-run referral site that sends you to aid groups and pro bono attorneys. The Kent County Law Library inside the courthouse at 414 Federal Street has legal reference books, court rules, and form packets.
The Parent Education Class is a must when minor children are involved in a Kent County divorce decree case. Class runs four hours, with cost capped at $100 per parent by statute. Certificates of completion go in the file before the judge signs the final decree. The Delaware Family Court Rule 16.1 mandatory mediation is waived when a Protection From Abuse order is active in the case. Emergency PFA orders are open 24/7 through a Justice of the Peace Court.
Kent County Justice of the Peace Court locations are at 35 Cams Fortune Way in Harrington, 480 Bank Lane in Dover, 100 Monrovia Avenue in Smyrna, and 414 Federal Street at the Kent County Courthouse. JP courts do not handle divorces, but they do hear protection orders, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes between former spouses. The main JP Court phone numbers are (302) 422-5922 for Harrington, (302) 739-4554 for Dover, (302) 653-7083 for Smyrna, and (302) 739-4316 for the Kent County site.
Cities in Kent County
Cities and towns in Kent County file divorce cases at the Family Court in Dover. Harrington is also in Kent County. Parts of Milford fall under Kent County jurisdiction.
Nearby Counties
Kent County sits in the middle of Delaware. New Castle County is to the north, and Sussex County is to the south.